Yes, we had such a marvelous time at the Magic Kingdom that we got back at nearly midnight … and I was far too tired to write about it.   It was the kind of day we hoped to have: reasonably short lines, lots of fun things to do, plenty of time, nice weather, good parades, and a minimal amount of exhaustion-induced crankiness.     We got soaking wet on Splash Mountain, had our necks re-aligned on Space Mountain, and “woo-hoo’d” our way through Big Thunder Mountain Railway, so we hit all the major peaks too.

It is a fine tradition that Disney often ends the evening with a fireworks display.   In EPCOT and Magic Kingdom the fireworks I have seen are second to none, and last night the show was no exception.   We really should have gone home at 9 pm instead of staying for the 10 pm show. With the ferry boat ride, bus ride, and the post-show crowd, we ended up getting to bed at nearly midnight.

But by staying we got a bonus.   We happened upon fellow Airstream enthusiast Paul Waddell, his wife MaryKim, and daughter Virginia, who were also hanging around for the fireworks.   We’ve seen them for years at various Airstream events, most recently last summer in Perry GA, and about three years ago we courtesy parked at their home.   It turns out to be a small world, after all.

So after a long day in the sun and lots of excitement, you can imagine how soundly we all slept, but perhaps you can also imagine how I felt about waking up at 8 a.m. to pack a bag and join Brett & Lori for a ride back to Tampa.   We have decided to leave the Airstream, Emma, and Eleanor in Ft Wilderness for two more nights while I go back to Tampa to fetch the “new” 1983 Honda we bought.     With gas prices as they are, it was actually about the same total cost to buy two more nights in Ft Wilderness at $71 per night, as to tow the Airstream to a Tampa campground, spend two nights, and then tow back to the Orlando area. And besides, I hate backtracking.   We’re ultimately headed north.

It was also a sad morning for us, because our friends Adam and Susan had to depart for their home up north.   They need to be up in the northeast in a few days, whereas we have scheduled another three weeks or so on the road.   There were a lot of hugs all around and we all promised to get together again this summer.   We already have some interesting plans for July and August in the works.

While we were away from Tampa, an auto detailer cleaned up the Honda and now it no longer smells of old car, ancient spills, mildew, pollen, and dirt.   It just smells faintly of “old car,” a major improvement.   To complete the transformation, I invested $38 in a pair of “Hawaiian hibiscus” front seat covers.   They are loud and distracting, which is ideal for drawing attention away from the dull gray interior, the multi-shade faded carpeting, and the eroding roof paint.

I love the covers, but Brett described the process of fitting them to the seats as “dressing a pig.”   It’s true, but it’s my pig now.   I’ll drive it back to Ft Wilderness on Monday night and re-join the family, assuming the car doesn’t break down on the way.